PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

A Klinger

Publications and source records attributed to A Klinger.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

Health and living conditions of centenarians in Hungary.

Demographic data of 218 centenarians in Hungary were collected, and 123 were examined by a medical team. This data showed that the centenarians are from families with a history of longevity. A larger proportion of the centenarians live in the capital, Budapest, than in the rural areas. The centenarians are mostly manual workers (rural) and nonmanual workers. Most of them live with their families. The centenarians are healthier than the general population, drug consumption is low, and they have good adaptative abilities. We compared the clinical laboratory findings of the centenarians with that of 60-80 year olds. Though age-related changes were present in the centenarians, these age-related biological changes did not hinder them from reaching very old age. Finally, we found a few differences in the immunological, clinical laboratory, and morphological profiles of this population. We anticipate more extensive elaboration on this data in future publications.

Aged

Elevated cerebellar glucose metabolism in microvascular white matter disease: normal aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Young normal, elderly, and clinically diagnosed Alzheimer disease subjects who had undergone positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) examinations were studied to determine the effect of periventricular white matter lesions on cerebellar glucose metabolic rates. PET-determined cerebellar metabolic rates were elevated in subjects with periventricular white matter lesions. These results suggest the cautious use of cortical-to-cerebellar ratios in future PET or single-photon-emission CT (SPECT) studies.

Adult

Positron emission tomography of hydrocephalus. Metabolic effects of shunt procedures.

Five patients with hydrocephalus were studied with carbon-11-2-deoxyglucose or 2-deoxy-2-(18F) fluoro-D-glucose and positron emission tomography both prior to and following ventricular shunting. Four subjects had communicating hydrocephalus; the fifth had aqueductal stenosis, two patients had hydrocephalus for three months or less. The three chronic patients were felt to have hydrocephalus for three years or more. After shunting ventricular size decreased in all patients, and all patients showed clinical improvement. The glucose cerebral metabolic rates increased after shunt in the two subjects with recent onset hydrocephalus but paradoxially decreased in the three chronic patients despite clinical improvement. These findings suggest that the cerebrum was metabolically hyperactive prior to shunt due to an unknown mechanism and presumably in response to the presence of hydrocephalus. A dissociation may also exist in the post-shunt period between cerebral metabolism and cerebral blood flow.

Adult

Fertility and family planning in Hungary.

Hungary's birth rate has been declining fairly steadily since World War II, and Hungarian population policy is aimed at increasing fertility to at least replacement level through social, health, and economic benefits to encourage childbearing. Figures for the mid-1970s indicate that birth rates have been rising. Whether these recorded increases may be permanent is examined through analyses of data on Hungarian fertility since 1900 and through retrospective and prospective surveys of family planning attitudes and practice. Both fertility statistics and surveys of family-size desires document a trend toward the two-child family and a birth rate too low to achieve the desired net reproduction rate of more than one. The surveys also show that family planning has become more prevalent in recent decades, and previously heavy reliance on abortion and traditional contraception is increasingly giving way to use of modern contraceptives.

Abortion, Induced

Main results of recent Hungarian family planning studies.

The Hungarian Central Statistical Office has carried out five different sample surveys in the last fifteen years for investigating more closely questions of fertility, family planning and birth control. The study summarizes the main findings. Some of these surveys applied retrospective methods to investigate fertility, family planning and birth control bahaviour of females in the past. Surveys of another type tried to reveal in perspective manner, with longitudinal observation of the couples, changes which took place in family planning and birth control ideas and practice. The main purpose of recent population policy measures was to ensure simple reproduction of the population. As a result of the measures taken in 1974 to increase the number of births the birth-rate went up significantly. This increase (30% as compared to 1973) appeared primarily for the second birth which constitutes 62% of the increment in births in 1974, 31% is accounted for by an 11% increase in the first births. The number of third births rose by 13% and their relative share remained 10%. The number of fourthand further births did not increase and their relative share decreased by 1%. Fertility data of 1974 show that the birth-rate increase was not in line with the intended aim, i.e. it was not the number of third births that increased. The net reproduction coefficient showing long-range growth of the population calculated with birth-rate of 1974, has developed favourably, it was over unity for the first time since 1958 (it was about 1.05). The birth-rate increased in 1974 in every age-group of females. The largest increase (19%) occurred for females 25-34 years old. Though it was 16% also for females under 24. According to a sample survey investigating the number of intended children by married females under 35 it did not increase as compared to data of previous surveys of similiar character. The differences is that the proportion of those who wished to have two children increased, while of those who wished to have one or three and more children decreased. The study deals also with changes in the relative shares of intended children by females under 35 who are now to be married. In the concluding part of the study the femeles' attitude to birth control and changes in this field are discussed.

Birth Rate